Wichita eagle., 1887-12-24
BUSINESS RATHER ACTIVE FOR
THE SEASON.
ReportS from all Over the Country
Show the Markets Of all
Kinds to be
Holding Their Own With Last lear-DeS-
pite Few Strikes, Stocks are
Fairly Active and up.
Western Mortgages Being Paid Before Due,
and Money Generally Loose and
Easy TO Get-FailureS.

NEW YORK. Dec Pr. G. Dun & Co.
in their weekly review of trade, say: Bus
mess throughout the country is active for
the season, and though collections at some
points are slow and credits are strained.
the reports are generally fairly satisfac-
tory, but uncertainty and hesitation affect
the important branches of production, and
the industrial outlook does not improve.
Currency is generally in good supply
even where payments are slOwest and
credits most strained. Speculation has
been less active, and the general
level of prices, though higher than
week ago in most speculative
markets, has on the whole declined lit
tie Since July the average of prices in
speculative markets has advanced 156 per
cent, with the tendency still upward,
while the average advance in all other
prices has been &c per cent, with the latter
tendency downward. These facts indicate
activity in trading, rather than satisfac-
tory relations OF supply and demand.
The iron .rade is unse tiled, with sales of
several thousand tons of Birmingham pig
here. while at Philadelphia offers 81 below
OF steel rails have been made during the
week, and generally at terms netting be
tween $3l and S32 Bar iron is weaker,
and the tendency to shrinkage in demand
appears not only in crude, but in many
manufactured forms of iron and steel.
Wool is not active and prices range 10 to
10 per cent below those Of last May, not
withstanding the decrease in imports, and
in home production, which shows a cur
tailment of manufacture.
Cottons are firm at recent advances, and
in good demand for the season, print cloth
having this week risen to 80 bid, but con
tinued large supplies cause raw cotton to
recede T.
The boot and shoe business is doing well,
and it is noted that purchasers are already
hurrying up their orders, while the leather
trade improves slightly if at all.
The Lehigh coal strike continues and the
consequent financial strain is in
some quarters severe. Men have
already struck. Several manufacturing
establishments have been closed for the
present, aud the repairs usual at this sea
son are likely to continue longer than usu-
al, if the markets do not change.
On the other hand, the disposition of
groceries is noticed in all sections as unu-
sually large. and the trade in holiday
goods in both cases are large and unusual
Iy early. At st. Paul, Detroit and some
causing dizziness in some branches of bust
ness, and at Il few other points activity
continues. though wholesale business eX-
hibitS some shrinkage. But the general
volume of trade shown in bank clearings
outside this city is even now fully as large
aS last year AT this period.
Notwithstanding the expected Reading
strike, stocks have averaged fraction
higher than week ago. but the market
has been exceedingly duh. Wheat has
risen / cents, oil, 81 : cents coffee i cent,
with better distribution, and hogs - cent,
and pork p cents per barrel. Tin has been
lifted | cent, and copper is unchanged. The
sugar market shows no change, though the
Louisiana crop is now rep rted fully 900,
600 h0gSheads larger than st year.
Exports of wheat shrink as prices adj
vance. Up to December |, in wheat and
flour, 642O0,000 bushels have gone against
$500. 600 to same date last year. leaving
an estimated surplus of 13,0OO,060 bushels
more than last years exports for the re-
manning seven months.
1t is an encouraging fact that Singularly
little disturbance has yet appeared iii Te-
giOns where real estate speculation was
active, and payments of interest on mort
cages do not Yet seem unusually delayed,
even when crops have been short. A Chi
on mortgages January lst, has already re-
ceived more than half the
amount. December L. 1t is observed.
too, that the demand for money from the
interior diminish at Chicago though that
city Is still drawing from New York and
the pressure for money does not abate.
Foreign trade shows a small decrease in
imports. while exports from this city for
three weeks have been 81 per cent below
those ofcorresp Onding weeks last year.
The business failures during the last
seven days number for the United States,
POI and Canada. %: total 290 compared
with 2SS last week, and 263 for the cores
ponding week last year